Ground-switch stand.



J. V. STEWART.

GROUND SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED APR/3,1913.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913,

INVENTOR UNITED STAKES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN V. STEW'ART, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, OF JOHNSTQNI'J, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

GROUNDSW'ITCH STAND.

Application filed April 3, 1913.

Specificatlim of Letters Patent.

To all 10720221 2'? may concern Be it. known that 1, Joan "v Srnwan'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstoi'i, in the county of Cainbria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Ground-Switch Stand, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of ground switch stands used in connection with turn-outs or railway switches.

The priu'iary object of the invention is to provide a ground switch stand of improved construction having novel means for connecting the switch stand hand lever to the switch tongue reach rod or bridle whereby the stand hand lever on the switch stand is thrown in a direction parallel with the length of the railway track in opening and closing the switch to which my improved apparatus is applied for use.

Further objects of the invention will ap pear hereinafter the invention more fully disclosed in the following specification and appended claims Referring to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan showing; a railway switch havin a ground switch stand applied thereto as constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan, on a larger s ale, showing, in detail, the. construction of the switch stand. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2.

in the drawings the numeral 2 designates the base. of the. switch stand having openings or holes 3., 3, and slots 4, 4 therein by which the switch stand is secured in position upon the tics 5, 5 of a railway track.

The base. 2 of the switch stand is provided at about the middle of its length with a boss (1 ha\ ing an opening: lhcrethrough which extcnds horizontally across the width of the (in cach side of the boss 6 alongside. one marginal Mtge of the base 2 is a boss I" ha ing v a i'ca'lly cxtcuding opening or holes therein. through which pins extend, which are maintained in 1 ition in the holes by cotter pins 9 or like means,

' livotally mountcd on ouc of the pins 8 of the base 2 is a bell crank lever 10 having one arm pivota ly connected by pin 11 to one end of reach rod 12 and pivoted on the other of the pins 8 in the boss :3 7 on the base 2 is one end of a bent lever arm 13. The lever arm and one, the bent-,,arm of the basc l.

bell crank 10 extend transversely beneath and across the width of the base 2 of the switch stand, the base 2 being curved intermediate of its ends to provide a recess 0r groove atl'ording the necessary clearance for the bell crank 10 and lever arm 13.

The outer end of the bent lever arm 13 and the outer end of the bent arm of the bell crank 10 extending across the width of the base 2, are pivotally connected by means of pins 1% to the bifurcated ends of it connecting cross-arm 15, the ends of the cross-arm 15 having slotted openings therein and the pins 14 extending through the slots 16 for a purpose described later.

A hand lever 17 is pivoted by a pin 1810 the horizontal boss 6 on the base 2, the lever 17 having a counterweighted handle 19 on its outer end. The other end 20 of the lever 17 is pivotally connected by a. pin 21 to the cross-arm 15, the pin 21 extending through the slot 22 in the vertically extending arm .23 of the cross-arm 15 so that when the hand lever 19 is thrown or swung the bell crank 10 will be rocked to move the reach rod 12. One end of the reach rod 12 is connected to one of the bridles 24 by which the tongues 25 of the switch are connected together, the switch tongues 25 being applied to a turnout from a main track formed by the rails 26, 21$ in the apparatus shown.

luach end of the base 2 of the switch stand, at one side thereof, is provided with a stop 27 and a vertically extending lug 0r ear 28 projects upwardly from each of the stops 27.

The cars 28 are provided with openings 29 through which the keeper of a padlock is positioned to fasten 0r lock the switch-operating hand lever 19 in one or the other of its operative positions.

In the operation of my improved switch stand, the parts being assembled as shown, the hand lever 17 is positioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the "switch being closed. llhen it is desired to open the switch and permit cars to pass from the main track formed by the rails 26, 26 to the switch track formed by the rails 30, 30 the lever 17, which is manually operated, is swung until the handled counteiwveighted end 19 thereof is on the opposite side of the pivot pin 18 to that shown in Fig. The swinging movement of the lever 17 through the medium of the cross-arm 15 moves the bell crank 10 on its pin 8 in the boss 6. The slotted openings 16 in the ends of the cross-arm 15 provide the clearance necessary to permit the outer ends of the arm of the bell crank 10 and the lever 13 to swing in the arc of a circle, while the arm 15 is moved endwise in a straight line and the slot in the arm 23 of the cross-arm 15 enables the pin 21 in the end of the hand lever 17 to move in a semi-circular path while the cross-arm 15 reciprocates in a straight line. The crossarm 15 is, in this way, connected to the hand lever 17 and t0 the swinging ends of the bent lever 13 and bent arm of the bell crank 10 so as to enable the hand lever 17 being moved in a plane parallel with the length of the railway track, while binding at the pivots or joints is avoided and prevented. I

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The apparatus is simple and is easily kept in repair and can be constructed at a relatively low cost. The switch stand can be applied to existing switches as Well as to entirely new railway track construction.

Modifications in the details of construction may be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A ground switch stand comprising a base, a'manually operated hand lever pivoted on the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivoted on the base, said bell crank having one arm operatively connected to the switch points, and a cross arm connecting the lever arm and parallel arm of the bell crank with the hand lever to permit angular swinging movement of the hand lever in a plane at right angles to the plane of ang11- lar movement of the lever arm and bell crank.

2. A ground-switch stand comprising a base, a manuallyioperated hand lever pivoted on the side of the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivo ed on the underside of the base, said bellcran'k having one arm operatively connected to "the switch points, and a cross arm connecting the lever arm and parallel arm of the bell crank with the hand lever to permit angular swinging movement of the handdever in a plane at right angles to the plane of angular movement of the lever arm and bell crank.

3. A ground switch stand comprising a base, a manually operated hand lever pivoted on the side of the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivoted on the under side of the plane.

1. A ground switch stand comprising a base, a manually operated hand lever pivoted on the side of the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivoted on the under side of the base, said bell crank having one arm operativcly connected to the switch points, and a cross arm connecting the lever arm and parallel arm of the bell crank with the hand lever to permit angular swinging movement of the hand lever in a vertical plane parallel to the length of the railway track and the lever arm and bell crank in a horizontal plane.

5, A ground switch stand comprising a base, a manually operated hand lever pivoted on the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivoted on the base, said bell crank having one arm operatively connected to the switch points, and a cross arm. connecting the lever arm and parallel arm of the bell crank with the hand lever, said cross arm having slotted openings to permit angular swinging movement of the hand lever in a plane at right angles to the plane of angular movement of the lever arm and bell crank.

6. A ground switch standcomprising a base, a manually operated hand lever pivoted on the base, a lever arm and a bell crank pivoted on the base, said bell crank having one operatively connected to the switch points, and a cross arm connecting the lever arm and parallel arm of the bell crank with the hand lever, said cross arm having slotted openings to permit angular swinging movement of the hand lever in a vertical plane parallel to the length of the track and the lever arm and bell crank in a horizontal plane.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

an -v-.. 

